Heavy rains caused flooding in parts of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands overnight into Saturday, swamping streets and buildings and sparking evacuations. Meanwhile the Moselle area in France's northeast was placed on flood alert as water levels rose in rivers following heavy rains. sr/ach

Two counties in Qinghai province confirmed 275 cases of H5 influenza among dead Pallas's gull and other wild birds, China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a notice on its website. The ministry received a report on the cases from the China Animal Disease Control Center, and the national Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed the ...

A divisive mobilization law in Ukraine became effective on Saturday. Kyiv is facing challenges in increasing troop numbers following Russia's initiation of a new offensive. There are concerns that the offensive could encroach upon Ukraine's second-largest city. The legislation has been revised from its initial draft to simplify the process of identifying ...

Flash flooding in western Afghanistan has resulted in the death of at least 50 individuals, as reported by provincial police on Saturday. Some individuals managed to find safety on higher ground just moments before the floodwaters struck. The floods that occurred on Friday resulted in the destruction of approximately 2,000 houses. Additionally, thousands of ...

Pakistan's foreign ministry stated that on Saturday, it summoned and delivered a protest note to Kyrgyzstan's top diplomat in response to the violence against Pakistani students in Bishkek. Kyrgyz police stated that they had deployed forces in the capital of the Central Asian nation on Friday to control the violence. During the incident, hundreds of Kyrgyz ...

The man who assaulted a police station in Malaysia and murdered two officers was a loner and is thought to have acted independently despite potential connections to the Jemaah Islamiyah extremist organization, according to the home minister of the country on Saturday. The man entered the police station in the southern Johor state close to Singapore during ...

Behind the scenes, tensions have escalated as the Emirates blocked a proposed resolution to allocate USD 100 million monthly to the PA, citing concerns about corruption and ineffective leadership.

At least 50 people are dead following a fresh bout of heavy rain and flooding in central Afghanistan. Mawlawi Abdul Hai Zaem, the head of the information department for the central Ghor province, told that there was no information about how many people were injured in the rain spell that began on Friday.

One more person was killed Saturday and two injured in France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia as security personnel tried to restore order after a fifth night of riots and looting that has now claimed six lives. The incident occurred in the archipelago's northern Kaala-Gomen area, General Nicolas Mattheos said.

Nearly 10,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region since a ground attack launched by Russian forces on May 10, the regional governor said. They were fleeing Russian soldiers who managed to advance between five to 10 kilometres (three to six miles) along the northeastern border before being stopped by ...

Singapore to resume F-16 flights post-crash due to gyroscope error, The Pilot ejected the crash safely. Gyroscope flight control computers are to be checked before flights. Investigation with Lockheed Martin is ongoing. The incident happened during take-off in Arizona. Previous crash in 2004 during night training in U.S. Pilot's age 25. The investigation is ...

President Tokayev chairs the 28th session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, emphasizing government efforts to aid flood victims and transition to a new economic model. International relations and Kazakhstan's ranking in the World Passport Index are highlighted. On flooding in Kazakhstan, President Tokayev emphasized that the people of Kazakhstan ...

China has been a critical diplomatic and economic support for Russia. Moscow has been importing electronics, industrial equipment, and cars from China, while exporting oil and gas, even at discounted rates compared to European sales. In 2023, bilateral trade between the two countries hit a record $240 billion. More importantly, Russia values having a ...

US defence official warns Chinese counterpart about China's increasing cooperation with Russia, as Xi Jinping and Putin strengthen ties.

US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel emphasizes deterrence and shows support for Yonaguni and Ishigaki islands amid tensions with China over Taiwan. Japan's defense posture shift includes a military buildup focusing on counter-strike capability with long-range cruise missiles. The visit follows China firing missiles into Japan's exclusive economic zone after ...

The European Union banned Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta for spreading propaganda about the invasion of Ukraine and disinformation ahead of parliamentary elections in the 27-nation bloc.

Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te, succeeding Tsai Ing-wen, promises stability in Taiwan-China relations amid Beijing's pressure. In his inauguration speech, Lai stresses Taiwan's global significance, upholding the status quo and advocating for self-determination. Lai, from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), faces challenges from Beijing's ...

A vessel in the Red Sea sustains damage near Yemen's Hodeidah due to Houthi militants' attacks, raising regional security concerns.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stresses the critical need to strengthen air defences in Kyiv against Russia's advancing offensive in the northeast, seeking international support for enhancing Ukraine's defense capabilities. He doubled down on pleas to allies to send more air defence and fighter jets to combat Russia's air superiority as the war ...

Hundreds of protesters in Peru's capital marched on Friday to demand the scrapping of a new law that describes transgender people, among others, as having a mental illness so they can access health benefits. Around 500 demonstrators peacefully walked the streets of downtown Lima, hoisting banners with slogans that read "No more stigmas" and "My identity is ...

Friday said his army needed more men to boost the forces' morale, a rare acknowledgement from the Ukrainian leader. Then their morale will be improved," Zelensky told AFP. "It is a matter of their physical strength and justice.

Slovak PM Robert Fico undergoes another operation after being shot in serious condition at University F D Roosevelt hospital. Robert Kaliniak, the defence minister, mentioned the removal of dead tissues during surgery

Nato allies, including the US, consider sending troops to Ukraine for training amidst a critical manpower shortage and worsening battlefield position due to Russia's advances. General Charles Brown Jr believes a Nato deployment of trainers is inevitable, with involvement from leaders like Emmanuel Macron and countries like Estonia and Lithuania.

Nepal PM Prachanda to seek vote of confidence on May 20 after coalition partner withdrawal. Belongs to Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre). Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal withdrew support, leading to resignation as deputy PM.